[CQ-Contest] CQ tips and tricks - not

[VR2BrettGraham]

ES5TV continued from W2UP's description of what CQing on a
frequency without first asking if the frequency was in use can be like for
those already there:

>I absolutely agree with Barry that plain CQ is rude and destructive.
>
>1. Any CQ is longer than QRL or ?. It disturbes my operating much more and
>believe me, in EU there are tens of stations looking for frequency on 40m at
>night for example.
>
>2. CQ could definitely return answers and that would cause me not hearing
>the weak station calling and furthermore the CQ guy not hearing me answering
>QSY or new CQ to him. And that has actually happened several times, really
>has, I am not making it up. Especially with semi-dx stations like strong AF
>or AS stations who are very loud in EU and get immidiate pile up after first
>CQ. I have lost frequency like that quite a few times.
>
>3. CQ does not explain me if the station is just checking out the frequency
>or is determined to deliberately steal my frequency. Or maybe he has been on
>this frequency for long and just turned the antenna to me. I don't know how
>to answer him and what he expects. That again wastes time and is very
>inefficient.
>
>4. For last  - a sudden 59+20 CQ into your face on the frequency where you
>have been for last 1,5 hours is very unpleasant and offending and does leave
>a bad memory and impression about the station. Not at all polite.

Not to mention being something that will be against a license condition,
regulation or whatever - harmful interference is specifically covered in the
ITU-RR, from which the Amateur Service is defined & the hobby exists
in our respective countries (even USA).

A QRL? itself can cause harmful interference, but because of the
frequency agile & casual nature of amateur communications, asking first
has become an accepted international practice.

A situation like Barry described, if recorded by the "victim" station,
would make the basis for a complaint to the relevant telecom authority
& potential DQ by the event sponsor.

I suspect there is more to K3ZO's technique in deciding whether or not
to have a go than we realize.

73, VR2BrettGraham